Denzel Valentine, Allen Crabbe sign G League contracts

A pair of veteran wings signed NBA G League contracts, according to reports. Jay King of The Athletic (Twitter link) says Denzel Valentine is headed to the NBAGL, while Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) says Allen Crabbe is doing the same.

Valentine will join the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G League affiliate, sources tell King. The 14th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Valentine has appeared in 256 total regular-season games for the Bulls, Cavaliers and Jazz.

The former Michigan State swingman had a promising 2017-18 season (10.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.2 APG, .386 3PT%) with the Bulls but missed the entire ’18-19 campaign due to an ankle injury and has provided inconsistent production since then. After starting this season in Cleveland, Valentine was traded to the Knicks in the three-team Rajon Rondo deal and was subsequently waived. He spent 10 days with the Jazz on a hardship contract this month — that deal expired earlier this week.

Crabbe has been out of the NBA since the 2019-20 season, waived by Minnesota in February 2020. The 29-year-old has a solid résumé though with 381 regular-season appearances (24.0 MPG) for the Trail Blazers, Nets, Hawks and Timberwolves. He averaged 9.1 PPG and 2.8 RPG with a .387 3PT% during his seven NBA seasons.

It’s unclear at this point which G League team Crabbe will join as he seeks an NBA comeback.